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           Shipping Stevedoring Port Services Hydrocarbons Diving  Sep-Oct 2008        |
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Minister acknowledges the sacrifice of seafarers in war04 September 2008By MUA news -
The Minister for Veteran's Affairs Alan Giffin yesterday paid tribute to those merchant mariners who made the ultimate sacrifice in war. His media release follows:
MERCHANT MARINERS COMMEMORATED TODAY
Merchant Navy Day today is an opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of merchant mariners during time of war, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Alan Griffin, said today.
Delivering on an election promise to have Merchant Navy Day proclaimed by the Governor-General as a day of observance, Mr Griffin said that merchant mariners were a key component of Australia's defence forces during war.
"Thousands of Australian merchant mariners served during the two World Wars on Australian, Commonwealth and Allied ships, as well as merchant ships from other nations," Mr Griffin said.
"Although their story is little known, merchant seamen played an important role in Australia's war efforts.
"Operations ranged from transporting vital food and fuel supplies to the battlefront, to transporting service personnel in and out of areas of conflict and evacuating civilians from dangerous locations.
"Merchant mariners conducted vital and often dangerous operations. They served on slow and vulnerable ships with limited defences, and were an easy target for the enemy," Mr Griffin said.
Australian and Commonwealth memorials commemorate 435 Australians known to have lost their lives serving in the Merchant Navy.
In consultation with merchant mariners, 3 September was chosen as Merchant Navy Day as it marks the sinking of the first Allied merchant vessel, the British liner Athenia, on the first day of the Second World War. The United Kingdom and Canada commemorate Merchant Navy Day on 3 September.
Commemorative services are planned for Port Adelaide, Fremantle and the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
For more information visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs website www.dva.gov.au/commemorations/
Media inquiries: Aaron Jobsz 0439 043 613
The VVCS - Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 011 046.
For further information
Public News: You can view MUA's publicly available news in a variety of ways. Please select one of our public news indexes. |
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